The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 70 COVID patients today, 60 Wednesday. Other significant numbers:

•  37 with the active virus today, 27 Wednesday
•  8 in ICU, 6 Wednesday
•  4 on a ventilator, 4 Wednesday

Key points from today’s guests:

Erin Reyes, cervical cancer patient

• Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer thanks to prevention and screening.
• There are expected to be nearly 14,000 new cases of cervical cancer -- about 200 fewer cases than last year.
• A study from the American Cancer Society found women ages 20 to 24, who were the first to receive the human papilloma virus vaccine, showed a 65 percent reduction in cervical cancer from 2012 to 2019.
• The HPV vaccine was first given back in 2006 to females ages nine to 26, but the vaccine was not available yet to Erin, and in March 2021, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
• She is doing fine now and encourages yearly screenings because early detection is very important.
• “Just listen to your bodies. Anything with your body you need to go and get it checked.”

Dr. Lori Spoozak, gynecologic oncology, The University of Kansas Health System

• The reason that screening works really well for cervical cancer prevention is that pre-cancer, it has a protracted course -- it takes time to evolve into a cancer.
• PAP smear technology is so effective because over the course of your life, it can catch early changes. And then and then you are able to get further diagnostic workup and then treatment, hopefully before it turns into cancer.
• The HPV vaccine today covers the maturity of high risk strains, potentially preventing 99 percent of these types of cancers if it's delivered effectively at the right age and before exposures to HPV.
• The HPV vaccine is not only for cervical cancer prevention, but also for any kind of genital tract, anus, and head and neck cancers. A tremendous number of cancers are prevented with this HPV vaccine.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, director of infection and prevention control, The University of Kansas Health System

• Uganda has declared the end of the Ebola outbreak and there are multiple reasons for this.
• Number one, the response of the Ugandan Government and the health care providers was very effective.
• Local interventions helped reduce the spread and education was important because some of these cases occurred in more rural regions.
• There was no treatment or vaccine for that strain, so the quick work by local officials essential.

Monday, January 23 is the next Morning Medical Update. It’s a stressful time for Chiefs football players, with their first playoff game tomorrow. We’ll hear about the mental and physical toll on pro football players from a former Chiefs player, who’s now a doctor at The University of Kansas Health System.

ATTENTION MEDIA: Please note access is with Microsoft Teams:

 Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 235 659 792 451
Passcode: 6CSfGE

Download Teams | Join on the web

Or call in (audio only)

+1 913-318-8863,566341546#   United States, Kansas City

TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI

Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital

YouTube.com/kuhospital

Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.